Saanich will be placing a new communications tower at the PKOLS (Mount Douglas) summit. The current tower must be replaced due to aging infrastructure and new federal regulatory standards that come into effect in 2025. The tower is a critical component of public safety and cell phone communications in the region.

Replacement Process

An RFP was issued for replacement of the tower, which will be required to be heavier and larger, but still fall within current zoning bylaws and requirements for height. The information provided by several external industry and technical experts indicates that there are significant barriers to replacing the tower in the current location.

That said, the specific location of the replacement tower has not yet been finalized. In addition to logistical, installation and future maintenance safety, and cost considerations, a key component of selecting the location of the replacement tower will be minimizing environmental impacts that would be necessary for construction such as blasting, tree removal and importation of non-native material. The Request for Proposal (RFP) award is for design and build of the tower, and additional technical work is required through the design phase to determine the best location. Saanich staff will be reporting to Council with the results of this technical work and the recommended location prior to the start of construction.

Next Steps

Ongoing project updates related to factors including environmental impact, project safety, scope of work, and cost will continue to be posted as they are available. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.